Me and My Motivation

Kick – Tom Miles

Me and my motivation:

“I’ve been seriously involved in Photography since 1993 when I did some work experience at the local paper in my home town in the East Midlands. I studied a degree at Blackpool college, then came down to London and worked as a freelance assistant for about 30 different photographers in 3 years. In 2001 I set out on my own, and since then I shoot mainly for Men’s Health, Runner’s World, Men’s Fitness, Golf Monthly, Shortlist, lots of Poker Magazines, various PR firms and book publishers. I shot my 100th magazine cover a couple of months ago, and I’m lucky enough to get paid to travel all over the place photographing the sort of things I love doing anyway.

“My main motivation (besides being paid!) in photography is that I get to go to really interesting places, and then experience them with interesting people, and come back with photos to prove it. In the past year I’ve been to Abu Dhabi, inside Battersea Power Station, training with the Royal Marines and many members of the GB Olympic Team, learnt Survival Skills in Cornwall and got soaking wet, freezing cold and also sunburnt on several occasions.

The top image is from a personal test last Autumn, in what is now my friends flat, but was then still an old public toilet. It’s lit with a mix of ambient light and gelled flashguns. The model was very patient, and quite happy to get dirty, dusty, and covered in things like cobwebs. They’re all shot on a Nikon D700, in case anyone cares. I’ve not been paid to shoot film in more than 8 years, and have no great desire to go back.

Peter Crouch – Tom Miles

A photo of Peter Crouch, taken off the back of a shoot for Men’s Fitness in about 30 seconds after we’d shot everything we needed to get, and wanted a portrait to open the feature with. It’s lit with flashguns and some of the ugly ambient light in Tottenham’s training facility. And I’m not kneeling down, he really is that big.

Explore – Tom Miles

The next shot is Sir Ranulph Fiennes, again taken at the end of a Men’s Fitness shoot when we’d been interviewing him and a younger explorer at the Royal Geographical Society. It’s grabbed very quickly, as he was keen to leave, and is just shot in the Reception of the RGS with some flashguns.

Harry – Tom Miles

The portrait of Harry Aikenes-Aryeetey was done at the end of a long day for Men’s Health/Lucozade (do you see a theme developing here…) on the indoor track at Loughborough University, lit with flashguns on a nice long lens. He’s one of the strongest athlete’s I’ve ever met, and also happens to be a pleasure to work with!

I don’t have much time to shoot personal projects, as commercial work keeps me pretty busy (56 shoots so far this year), and I’m lucky enough to spend a lot of time shooting the sort of things I love anyway. I’m not working towards any exhibitions (think they’re a bit of a waste of time personally..)

If you’d like to see more of Tom’s work, please visit his website.